Luggage and method of making same



March 16, 1954 L. HoRwlTz LUGGAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed D'eC. 8, 1948 March 16, 1954 HoRwlTz LUGGAGE AND METHODF MAKING SAME 4 i 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1948 hl. NNN. A NNN MNNW w e March 16, 1954 L, HoRwlTz 2,672,224

LUGGAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 8, 1948 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 L. HORWITZ LUGGAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 'March 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed DSC. 8, 1948 .1&2 .104

March 16, 1954 1 HoRwlTz LUGGAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Deo. 8, 1948 vwl@ @wn QMN WN Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUGGAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Leo Horwitz, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 8, 1948, Serial No. 64,205

3 Claims. (Cl. 19028) The present invention relates to articles of luggage and to a method of constructing various articles of hand luggage in which fabric or leather is employed as a principal covering material and in which a metallic frame outlines the covering and gives form and rigidity as well as locking securement.

Articles of hand luggage which may have various shapes ranging from the elementary rectangular to hat box curvatures include also a range of variations in proportion. The present invention, although illustrated in a simple embodiment of rectangular outline, lends itself particularly well to adaptation within the full gamut of designs to which these articles are customarily subjected. In the conventional process of manufacture a steel framework is provided in which strip members usually of fiat rod or angular components are riveted or welded together to form the outlining framework, and upon this framework there is placed a covering material chosen for its lightness of weight and/or for its attractiveness of appearance. Luggage cases usually consist of two elements which may be of identical depth or one may be deeper and the other shallower, the two elements being hinged together at their metal framework so as to swing shut and form a portable container that may be carried by a handle and may be suitable for storage of personal articles, samples or wares.

Depending upon the precise nature of objects to be carried, cases are variously constructed with regard to load content. However, for personal use and where the load content is relatively light, tensile strength and structural characteristics are regarded as secondary to appearance and portability. The fabric casings are usually secured to their metal framework and particularly to their mouth lining edging strips by closely placed riveted securements. These securements which, under known methods of construction were deemednecessary to effect the proper integration between metal and fabric or metal and leather, are deemed to diminish, to a degree at least. from aesthetic qualities of the luggage and this has been particularly recognized in respect to modern streamlining trends where simplicity and straight lines are favored over pattern interruptions and ligree.

With a view towards eliminating the practice of riveting in effecting securement between certain parts of the metal framework and thefabric components of luggage cases, it is proposed to provide herewith a new method of construction in which this association is effected by a forming 2 process which will clinch the edging metal in an even and continuous manner to the adjacent fabric or leather.

More significantly in accomplishing these ends there has been achieved a construction which will utilize the tarnish resistant and durable qualities of stainless steel as a metal lining substance and in so doing take advantage of certain metallurgical characteristics. In this way there is given to the end product beauty of appearance and structural strength beyond the limits at which luggage articles have been made heretofore.

Brieily stated a principal object of this invention is to obtain a luggage construction in which the metal framework is more securely joined with the fabric or leather casing material throughout the full perimeters of juncture with out the use of localized securing elements.

Another object of this invention is to devise for luggage cases an edging strip of such cross section that the strip can be made of stainless steel and to utilize certain metallurgical characteristics thereof in effecting a positive clinching securement which is continuous along all perimetric lines of junction and which may be applied to opposing components by simple reversal to eiect secure and aesthetic construction qualities.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a method for applying in symmetrically opposite relation an edging strip on two opposed luggage casings by processes of rolling, shaping and compressing under conditions adaptable to production methods of manufacture.

Still other objectives of this invention are such as will appear during the course of the following detailed description and explanation and such as will be manifest by an understanding of the hereunto appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings and in the following specication like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an article of hand luggage featuring the aesthetic qualities which may result from the practice of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the edging abutments and clincher construction having embodied therein the essential principles of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view ofan edging strip during formation treatment from which evolves a rounded corner structure;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a similar treatment of the same edging strip for obtaining a reverse corner formation;

Figs. through 7 are fragmentary sectional views of various manufacturing steps which may be employed in the attainment of clincher binding between the edging strip and the fabric or leather which comprises the casing elements;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of the bottom of a luggage article illustrating a manner of applying a reinforcing gusset and hinge assembly;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a special forming tool which may be employed in the shaping and closing operations which concern themselves with the various types of luggage edging according to the present invention;

Fig. 10 is another perspective view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 9 featuring its use as a clamping or pinching mechanism;

Fig. 11 is another perspective view of the same apparatus featured in Figs. 9 and 10, showing the clamping jaws in their open condition;

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional View through a pivot stud which forms the turning center of the application tool featured in Figs. 9 through 11;

Fig. 12a is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of turning center tool adapted for use in rotating and forming the liner strip about its fiat surface.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional View taken approximately on line |3-l3 of 1Fig. 16, illustrating the position occupied by the liner strip during formation operations;

Fig, 14 is a detailed sectional View of the clamping jaw relationship of the application tool during forming operations;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of the clamping jaw relationship of the forming tool during clincher or pinching operations;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the special tool illustrated in Figs. 9 through 11;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary detailed view through a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 16 and is taken as indicated by the viewing line I'I--l'i on Fig. 16; and

Fig. 18 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of the edging strip where the flexible spacer pack terminates within an indefinite length of strip stock.

In the accompanying illustrations the reference numeral 2l designates generally a handbag or suitcase such as is appropriately constructed of leather casing elements 22 and 23 made up of tailored component sections blocked into the requisite shapes and stitched as at 24 in the well known manner in which these elements have been assembled under various seam patterns and arrangements. The case elements 22 and 23 are each lined at their mouth opening as at 25 and 26 on three sides, namely, the top and end sides of the luggage unit, while the bottom, Fig. 3, is correspondingly lined by hinge assembly 29 which may be of a continuous sleeve and pintle arrangement, such as is particularly termed a piano hinge association. The hinge is ultimately secured to the edging strips 25 and 26 by means of reinforcing gussets 21 which may be welded or riveted to the hinge and to the strips in order to afford a reinforcement thereat.

Alternatively the gussets 2l may be provided with a hinge juncture as at 28, in which case the same lining strip may continue all the way around on the four sides of the luggage unit 2 I. The tailored components of the case elements are turned under as at 3l and 32 and stitched to bottom panels 33 while at 34 there are secured glider buttons to support the case in its upright position against undue wear and abrasion.

In the type of handbag illustrated the two case elements 22 and 23 are of substantially identical breadth or depth, meeting one another in edge to edge juncture. It is also contemplated that the constructional arrangements which will later be discussed in greater detail are adaptable to case constructions and designs where this juncture is offset so that one case element is deeper than the other one, or even where one case element is so shallow so as to constitute merely a cover to the other one which comprises nearly all of the suitcase width. A carrying handle 35, of Fig. 1, may be pivotally supported as at 35 in a pair of trunnion pins riveted to one or the other of the liner strips 25 or 26. Also a pair of matched suitcase locks 31 may be secured to one of these strips with the other of the strips provided with lock bolt receiving apertured brackets as is well known in the art to which this invention pertains.

In order to maintain the shape of rectangular as well as of circularly outlined suitcases, a framework of steel or heavy fibre is usually provided which reinforces the outermost peripheral limits meeting the edging strips 25 and 26 at the corners as by riveting or welding, but since these details of construction are not signicantly concerned in the present invention, it will suice to say that any suitable mode of bracing may be contemplated for use in conjunction with the strips 25 and 26 which will serve the general objectives. It is to be noted that whereas the edging strips of suitcases heretofore would have been secured to the cases 22 and 23 by spaced securement elements such as rivets, the present edging strips are such that they may be secured to the casings 22 and 23 by clamping or clinching securement, detailedly illustrated in Fig. 2, where the edge of case 22 is held by the clincher lips 4I and 42 of strip 25, and where the case element 23 is correspondingly held by the clincher lips 43 and 44 of strip 26.

It will be observed that strips 25 and 26 may be made of the same stock material applied in reverse manner so that the doubled flange 4.5 of strip 25 overlaps the doubled flange 45 of strip 26, each abutting the shoulder portion 41. The two case components are lined at their abutment edges with these metal edging strips to effect a positive metal-to-metal contact as between the two case components during closure. By the expedient of symmetrical flange overlap of the same stock strip an economy of material is achieved. This overlap and abutment cooperation between the two strips permits both of them to lie in the same plane, a feature which is recognized as materially advantageous over heretofore known structures in which overlap of one strip by the other involved a perimetric protrusion. Accordingly, attention is directed to a major utilitarian achievement which affords a strong and rugged interengagement between the two case elements under conditions of significantly more attractive design.

While the strip elements 25 and 26, being made ofthe same stock of sheet material folded or rolled into Ythe form best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 14, may be manufactured of any metallic substance, a preferred choice for this purpose for several reasons has been found to bea formable or ductile stainless steel. This type of steel possesses ductile and Vtensile strength characteristics which are critically suitable to the mode of application which will now be described in particular and which affords a wear resistant tarnish free substance that may be applied and secured to the cases by a clamping or pinching operation.

In its rolled condition the stock strip should have a section as best indicated by the dotted outline of Fig. 14 during which the doubled over flange 45 stands open with a V space 48 between its elements while the sides 49 and 5| nare outwardly at continuations of the same angle as is indicated by the V space 48. The distance between the clincher lips 4| and 42 is wide enough to receive the leather fringe of the case elements 22 and 23 even in places where these elements are of double thickness, such as at seams 24. There will now be explained the structural details of a mechanism and its manner of operation for accomplishing the corner bending of the stock strip whereby an aesthetically attractive one piece continuous construction is achieved as a result of which the improved design here disclosed is accomplished economically.

Particular attention is now directed to Figs. 9 through 13 which feature a special multiple purpose tool that achieves all of the bending and crimping operations necessary for the application of stainless steel strip of the class herein contemplated to suitcase elements. The reference numeral 6| designates generally a bed plate which may be the top of a bench upon whose surface there is secured as by bolting at S2 a base plate 63. Through an aperture in plate 63 (see Fig. 12) there extends in a vertical direction a cylindrical pivot stud 64 that either may be welded to the base plate, or may be secured to a collar 65 by one or more radially extending set screws, the collar being anchored to the base by vertically extending bolts 61.

The stud 64 constitutes a vertical pivot about which a portion of the fixture swings, and carries a forming mandrel 68 shaped as at 69 whereby to receive the strip in one of two alternative positions. Another mandrel which is interchangeable with mandrel 68 is shaped as indicated at 1| (see Fig. 12a) for receiving the strip in its other position. In this way both inside and outside curvatures may be shaped on the same apparatus, although if desired two separate complete bending fixtures may be employed, one for bending the curvatures with the flange innermost as indicated in Fig. 3 and the other for bending the curvatures with the ilange l5 or 46 outermost as indicated in Fig. 4.

A hold down plate 12, shaped as best indicated in Fig. 16, is bolted as at 13 to the mandrel E8, whereby the entire assembly is rotatably anchored, and this plate 12 is preferably notched as at 14 and flattened as at 15 so as to fit a complementary top block portion 16 associated with a swinging jaw S3 of section 11 of the unit. The square notch and shoulder engagements which have been designated 14 and 15 extend down through the forming mandrel 68 and the workengaging face of jaw 88 merges into a similarly shaped work-engaging face of mandrel 68, so that the mandrel together with the fixture 11, can swing as a unit about pivot stud 94 inporder to roll a strip about the `exact curvature of arc which is indicated by the several diameters of the mandrel. This rotation is ccnned to an accurate 90 degrees of movement by the provision of a stop pin 18 located in the bed plate 63 at a point kwhere it is encountered by the :edge 19 of a pivotable plate 8|, see also Figs. 9 and 12. A similar limit pin 82 is encountered by the edge 08 of plate 8| whereby is established the other extremity of position at which fixture assembly 11 is disposed.

In addition to the swinging xture 11, there is provided a stationary fixture generally designated 81, see Figs. 9, 10 and 1l. Each one of the clamping units 11 and 81 comprises a relatively stationary jaw block 88 or 89, the .block 88 being pivotable about the stud B4, and a cooperating jaw portion 9| or 92 which is slidable towards and away from its companion jaw block upon actuation of its toggle lever 93 or 94, respectively.

As will be observed from Figs. 9 and 10, lever 93 is pivotally articulated as at 95 in the trunnion blocks 96 of jaw member 9|, and in identical manner lever 94 is `pivotally articulated as at 91 in the trunnion blocks 98 of the jaw member 92, both sets of trunnion blocks 96 and 98 being bolted as at 99 to their respective jaws.

In addition to the just described pivotal articulation each one or" the toggle levers 93 and 94 is additionally pivoted as at and |02 to a pair of toggle links |03 and |04, the latter being in turn pivoted as at |05 and |96 in upstanding trunnion plates |01 and |08.

From the foregoing, it will be readily understood that as the toggle levers 93 and 94 are swung from their horizontal positions, as indicated in Figs. 10, 13 and 16, to their vertical positions as indicated in Figs. 9 and 11, their related clamping jaws 9| and 92 are withdrawn from their clamping or effective positions to their ajar or release positions.

In order to accommodate for various conditions .such as may result from wear or fluctuations in stock specications, adjustment means are provided whereby the upstanding trunnions |91 and |08 may be laterally displaced and thereat securely held towards the end purpose of locating or adjusting the shiftable jaws 9| and 92 in respect to the pivotal jaws 8| and B9. This adjustment is achieved with critical accuracy by securing end plates I 09 and I II to the bed plates 0| and |I2 of the respective units 11 and 81 and by mounting adjustable abutment bolts IIS and ||4 in said end plates, each of said abutment bolts Vbeing provided with a check nut so that when threaded into the body of its respective plate |09 or II I, it may be secured against inadvertent change. After each pair of trunnion members |01 and |08 is accurately located through the aforedescribed adjustable limit screws IIS and |I4, the assembly including each pair of said members |01 and |08 is clamped securely at its located position by recessed screws IIS which thread into spacer blocks ||1 located between each pair of said elements.

In order to make a, given set of clamping jaws 9| and 98, or 92 and 89, serviceable for various clamping or crimping operations, there has been devised an intertting relationship as shown in Figs. 9 through 13, a modiiication being portrayed in Figs. 14 and l5, whereby one of the jaws, preferably the relatively fixed one, is tted with a straight rectangular recess generally designted I2I, while its companion jaw 92 is provided with a stepped projection generally designatedA |22. When .these two jaw members are 'brought together, as indicated in Fig. 15, the space between their meeting portions designated |23 and |24 is such as to grasp and crimp the overhang ange portion -45 or 46 about its. bend line |25 until the sides |21 and |28 ofza metallic binding strip are firmly compressed about the leather, fabric, or other case material |29.

Under an alternative condition of operation, when the movable jaw 92 is brought into engagement with the stationary jaw 89 after the strip of material has been placed into the recess |2|, a condition such as that illustrated in Fig. 13 is achieved, at which the sides |21 and |28 of the binder strip are held apart by a flexible laminated strip |3|, see also Fig. 18. The purpose of this gripping engagement will best be understood by giving attention to the disclosure in Figs. 16, 17 and 18. In these illustrations, it will be observed that when the clamping jaws 9| and 89 grip between them a length of the binding strip 25 or 26 for the purpose of accomplishing the curvature bending illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, clamping jaw 92 is preferably relaxed so as to permit the strip to slide in the jaw aperture as the fixture 11 is rotated about the stud 64. During this movement, depending upon whether the bend shown in Fig. 3 or that shown in Fig. 4 is to be accomplished, a corresponding mandrel on the stud 64 is provided which will conform with the prole of the strip in accordance with its interior surface.

As viewed in Fig. 16, the flexible laminated strip |3| will be pulled toward the right, until it is taut, after which it will slip in the strip 25 until the full 90 degree turn is completed. In order to assist in the-free movement of the flexible laminations |3| in the strip 25, the outermost ones of them are preferably inturned, as best indicated in Fig. 18 at |35 and |36. Since the same xture is being employed for several purposes, as has already been indicated, the strips |3| are preferably anchored as at |31, Fig. 16, in a pivoted clamping fixture in which a pivot stud |38 is provided that passes through the fixture |31 and the upstanding flange |39 of an angle member that is secured to the bench 6|. By providing the described pivotal arrangement and a limit block |42 to be encountered by the fixture |31, the strips |3| may normally be disposed in horizontal position for service during the bending operation and may be swung out of the way as indicated in the dotted outline, Fig. 17, when the principal fixture is to be employed for crimping to secure the inwardly turned clincher edges 43 and 44 to the material 22 or 23.

After a 90 degree bend has been formed, the strip is freed so that its spaced sides |21 and |28 will again spring open to receive the case material 22 or 23. The edge o-f each case, after it has been fully inserted in its respective edging strip, is then clamped in the vise jaws in the manner illustrated in Fig. 15, the elements of the fiange 45 (or 46) being compressed so that the bend line |25 lies along the flat side of the strip, the sequence of clamping operations being indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. As a consequence of clamping one side, Fig. 6, between the jaws 89 and 92, the strip is effectively closed to a point well beyond the start of the corner bend. When, thereafter, the jaws 9| and 88 are closed as indicated in Fig. 7, the remainder of the bend is also closed as a result of a phenomenon of bending by reason of which the inside ange |21 or |28 (depending upon whether the Fig. 3 or 4 type of bend is made), having nearly as much metal throughout its length as the outside curvature, coupled with the fact that the outside curvature in attempting to describe a greater radius is drawn slightly inward, there results a combined effect of mutual closure so that the case material 22 or 23 which is disposed in the area of curvature is effectively gripped and held as though that portion had also been squeezed together, as by the operation illustrated in Fig. 15. Under actual separation tests, it has been found that this gripping within the area of the curvature is so effective as not to require a corner pinching operation in order to obtain the necessary adherence between the strip and its case material.

While the present invention has been explained and described with reference to specific contemplations of apparatus and methods of procedure, it will be understood nevertheless that numerous variations and modifications may be incorporated without departing from its essential spirit or scope. Accordingly, it is not intended to be limited by the details of illustrations in the accompanying drawings nor by the particular language used in the foregoing description except as indicated in the hereunto appended claims.

'Ihe invention claimed is:

1. A method of edge trimming the receptacle components of suitcases or similar articles which comp-rises the steps of forming a ductile stainless steel strip into a channel member comprised of a fiat side element and an opposite offset side element so as to present a foremost lapping edge of doubled strip steel and a rearmost portion of spaced gripping flanges having inwardly turned biting ridges, forming corner turns opposedly in lengths of said channel member to correspond with the peripheral dimensions of suitcase reu ceptacle components, inserting the edges of said receptacle components into the spaces of said formed channel members, and compressing the foremost lapped edges of said channel members to effect a closing together of said inwardly turned biting edges to engage securely against the inserted component edges.

2. An article of luggage comprised of opposed case elements having mutually abutting lip portions, a binding strip made of sheet metal and formed so as to have a cross-section consisting of an oi-set foremost lapping flange, spaced sides, and inwardly turned clincher edging, the binder strip of one of said case elements being formed to correspond with the lip profile of said case elements and having its said lapping flange innermost, the binder strip of the other of said case elements being also formed to correspond with the lip prole of said case elements but having its lapping fiange outermost, the metal of which said binding strip is made being of such hardness and ductility characteristics as to receive and retain a compression set after its profile formation is completed by pinching together of its lapping ange to cause its clincher edging to bite into the case element lip portions inserted between its spa-ced sides.

3. An article of manufacture comprising an edging binder strip for luggage case elements consisting of a web of marginally ductile spring metal doubled-over upon itself so as to provide coextensive sides, one of said sides being substantially at and having its free edge bent inwardly to face the other side and to afford thereby a narrow clincher flange, the other of said sides being longitudinally off-set whereby to afford a foremost section angling significantly away from surface abutment with its related portion of said first-mentioned side and a spaced section whose free edge is bent inwardly to form a clincher ange and to face said first mentioned clincher ange, the ductile quality of said spring metal being such as to permit a set to be imparted to the doubled-over fold of Said Web by a compression force applied thereat for bringing into mutual surface abutment said foremost sections of said sides.

LEO HORWITZ.

References Cited n the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10,334 Cantel Dec. 20, 1853 909,630 Marstaller Jan. 12, 1909 1,143,033 Bricker June 15, 1915 Number Number Name Date Kleber May 7, 1918 Gaynor Apr. 8, 1924 Frederick Nov. 6, 1928 Hofbaurer June 23, 1931 Stein May 14, 1940 Steele May 6, 1941 Pelzer et a1 Aug. 22, 1944 Perkins Nov. 30, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 29, 1908 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1928 

